MARY BERRY USES ONE COOKING TECHNIQUE TO KEEP MUSHROOMS ‘FIRM AND FLAVOURFUL'

mushrooms can be done in the oven, , pan, or even a microwave.

While the method often depends on the meal, British chef Mary Berry has one go-to technique for the best results.

She explained her cooking tip in a recipe for bolognese pasta bake: "My method of frying the mushrooms ensures they stay firm and flavourful, not soft and soggy."

Mary claimed that the mushrooms remain perfectly firm even after being kept in the fridge.

She suggested that the bolognese pasta bake can be assembled up to six hours ahead, ready to pop in the oven.

Mary Berry's bolognese pasta bake recipe

Ingredients

  • One tbsp olive oil
  • Two onions, chopped
  • Two celery sticks, finely chopped
  • 675g beef mince
  • Two garlic cloves, crushed
  • Two tbsp tomato purée
  • Two 400g tins chopped tomatoes
  • 350-500ml beef stock
  • Two tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • Two tsp redcurrant jelly
  • One tbsp butter
  • 250g chestnut mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme leaves
  • 225g penne pasta
  • 50g cheddar, grated
  • 30g Parmesan, grated
  • Salt and ground black pepper
  • Green or tomato salad, to serve

Method

Heat the oil in a deep frying pan or wide casserole dish, then add the onions and celery and fry over a high heat for three minutes.

When everything starts to soften, add the mince and fry until browned, breaking it up with two wooden spoons as you go.

Add the garlic and tomato purée and stir for a few seconds, then stir in the tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce and redcurrant jelly.

Add the stock and season with salt and pepper, then cover and simmer over a low heat for 30 to 35 minutes.

Cover with a lid and cook for two minutes before removing the lid and frying over high heat for a further two minutes, until the liquid has evaporated.

Add the firm mushrooms and thyme to the mince and stir well. Cook the pasta in boiling salted water until al dente. Drain and run under cold water before stirring the pasta into the mince and checking the seasoning.

Finally, spoon everything into a large, shallow ovenproof dish. Sprinkle with the cheeses and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until golden and bubbling around the edges.

Serve piping hot with a green or tomato salad.

2024-05-08T09:04:18Z dg43tfdfdgfd